Luke Bryan performed for Lon Helton during a surprise dinner in which Helton was presented with the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award.(Photo: Chris Hollo / Hollo Photographics Inc.)

Country radio executive Lon Helton was feted with an event fit for the beloved member of the music community he is this week when artists ranging from Carly Pearce to Garth Brooks gathered at the Grand Ole Opry House to surprise Helton with the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award.

“I’m not a fan of surprises,” Helton said. “But I’ll make an exception for this one. One of the great things about tonight is that they get all of you people in one room. It’s really neat to have so much love in this room. It’s a reminder for me that you guys have done so much more for me than I could do for anybody else.”

The night included dinner for more than 200 people on the Opry’s hallowed stage, decades of photos documenting Helton’s illustrious career, an evening of performances from country music’s most known names and stories from the same people about what Helton meant to their career.

Country radio executive Lon Helton is the latest recipient of the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award.(Photo: George Walker IV / The Tennessean)

“I love stories of underdogs, champions,” Brooks said. “The greatest views are always at the top of the mountain that’s the hardest to climb. If you want to look at your awards shelf, it’s not the Grammys, it’s not the awards, it’s the relationships, that’s what it’s all about. Every artist is going to have their ups and downs, but you’ve always remained even-keeled. I thank you for that. You’ve always been a safe place for an artist to hide, to celebrate, to land.”

Trisha Yearwood and Brooks sang “For the Last Time,” a song they co-wrote from Yearwood’s current album, “Let’s Be Frank.”

Other performances included Luke Bryan, who sang his “I Don’t Want This Night to End” and then delivered an emotional acoustic version of “What I’d Say” in tribute to Earl Thomas Conley. Chris Young dusted off his first No. 1 hit, “Gettin’ You Home (the Black Dress Song).” Alabama’s Randy Owen, who works closely with Helton on fundraising initiatives for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, made the trip from his home in Fort Payne, Alabama, to sing “Angels Among Us” for his longtime friend.

“Buddy, you know this has got to be special for me to get on I-24,” Owen quipped. “I know the dream that we started in 1989 (Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon), it could not have happened without Lon Helton.”

Helton, most known as the voice of "Country Countdown USA," began his career at country radio in 1971 and spent 12 years as a personality and programmer in Los Angeles, Chicago and Denver. He served as country editor of Radio & Records for 23 years before he founded Country Aircheck. Helton is a nine-time Country Music Association National Personality of the Year, an honor he also received from the Academy of Country Music on four occasions. He was inducted into the Country Radio DJ Hall of Fame in 2006. He is a member of the board of directors of the CMA, St. Jude Children's Hospital, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the National Corvette Museum.

Other performers included Steve Wariner, who was Helton’s first co-host on "Country Countdown USA," Eli Young Band, Vince Gill, Mark Wills and Dierks Bentley. Randy Travis, who cleaned Helton’s office before he was famous, dropped by to make a special presentation. Travis saved his last check for cleaning Helton’s office — $30 for two weeks of work — had it framed and presented it to the honoree.

“As the Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter Don Schlitz says, ‘You can’t make old friends,’ ” Gill said. “That’s how I feel about Lon. I’m always grateful for an old friend.”

Proceeds from the night benefit the Opry Trust Fund, which for more than 50 years has supported members of the country music community in need. Past recipients of the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award are Kingsley, renowned record executive Joe Galante, executive Jim Ed Norman, television and radio personalities Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase, and artist manager Clarence Spalding. In the last five years, the event has raised more than $350,000 for the Opry Trust Fund.